1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a semiconductor wafer minimum volume fluidic cushion transport system intersection and traffic control means wherein modular units are assembled to form a system taught in commonly assigned Application Ser. No. 618,654, filed on Oct. 1, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,330, whereby semiconductor substrates are transported in any desirable configuration to and from processing stations under a controlled environment dissimilar to the various processing environments. Said environment includes atmosphere, temperature, wave lengths of light and electronics. In a more specific sense the invention relates to management of directional traffic flow by providing a means for intersectional direction means and control, as well as providing a means for interconnecting with other systems or adjacent buffer or holding stations as the case may be.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to fabricate and assemble a manufacturing system utilizing a plurality of satellite functional processing stations or sectors each capable of stand alone operation as well as with stations interconnected, e.g., as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,355 by Aronstein et al. It is also known to transport a work piece on a cushion of air and if a new direction is desired, the work piece is stopped and the direction of air or gaseous medium flow is changed, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,678,237 by Allander et al. R. G. Hagler in U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,381, discloses a gaseous cushion transport system and positioning system utilizing compressed air and vacuum ports for transporting and positioning. The teaching illustrated in the aforesaid disclosures are utilizing open systems without environmental control and are not disclosing a self-centering arrangement or redirectional control as taught by the instant specification.